A Day to Remember

We'll be leaving the Philippines in a few hours...I've been coming here every year since 1999, and I think I can honestly say that this was the very best trip yet...last night's ministry in Iligan City was amazing, and today's visit to the incarcerated children at the Ozamiz Youth Detention Center was heartbreaking (they actually put these beautiful little kids behind bars in hot, overcrowded cells)...I'll tell you about it all when I get home, and I'll post the rest of the pics on Facebook...but the shots below show what was probably my favorite part of the whole trip...

The UNITE 2010 conference was held at the Chinese church retreat center in Ozamiz City which was started by Watchman Nee's congregation back in the 30's...to be in a place that was connected with Nee was cool enough, in and of itself, but the church's pastor (Pastor Ting) invited us to stay and combine our Sunday service with them, and what happened in that service was (for me) even cooler...the man in the picture is Chua Behong, and he is an elder in the church...he is 100 years old...I had the privilege of helping him serve communion to the three nations represented in the service (China, Philippines, USA)...

There's no way to describe how awesome this man is...he has all of his faculties, but more importantly, he's just completely filled with the Spirit...and with love...and with wisdom...he's everything you would hope that a spiritual man would be at 100...just being in his presence affected me, and touched me very deeply...

Here he is looking out over the international congregation, clapping his hands and saying "So many people together!"

One thing that really impressed me was the way he worshipped...Pastor Jimmie was leading some very loud and upbeat praise, and this centenarian stood and clapped his hands and joined in on every song...

As the service was coming to a close, we took some pictures together...

This is Pastor Ting, one of the sweetest guys you could ever meet...he interpreted for me when I preached (in Chinese), while another pastor interpreted in Cebuano...here he is explaining the Chinese Bible to me...

Here we are after church with Bishop Tom...

Then Chua Behong invited us to lunch...he gave me a very generous offering, and then for an hour just poured out amazing wisdom to all of us...he shared with us the secret of his long life (basically it's just being happy, according to him), and he really sort of transformed us all...well, I can't speak for everyone else, but he certainly made an impact on me...meeting him was such a blessing...I don't think I'll be the same...I certainly won't forget that day...

More later...

UNITE 2010 First Pics

Pastor Jun from the Sanctuary Interpreting








The Jimmies Mayo (IV and V) Leading Worship


Bringing Pastors from Different Denominations Together


Pastor Chad Smith Sharing



A Morning Session



Bible School Graduation


Ordaining Pastors


Celebration!

Everything is beautiful in this conference...His kingdom continues to come, as His will is done on earth as it is in heaven...God is very real, and His presence is tangible in Ozamiz City this week...

I heard dad did great Wednesday night...thanks for the reports...

All the old fashions are now obsolete. Words like Jewish and non-Jewish, religious and irreligious, insider and outsider, uncivilized and uncouth, slave and free, mean nothing. From now on everyone is defined by Christ, everyone is included in Christ.
(Colossians 3:11 - The Message)

Checking In

Greetings from the Philippines...I'm writing this from Manila...up early because my sleep is still turned around and I've been awake for a while...next flight is in a few hours...

...thanks for the reviews from Sunday's sermon...hope it didn't get too intense, but I was feeling that word really strong...almost forgot I was preaching for a minute there when I was in the middle of my unusual illustration...the inner voice said, "OK...you've made your point...now get up off the floor and finish this message with some decorum because you're scaring the children!"...

..."fire shut up in your bones" is not a pleasant experience, and when Jeremiah talked about having it, he didn't describe it in a positive light...when you have a word, even a hard word, you have to release it or it will consume you...

...anyway, I'm here on the other side of the planet now, and I believe in really being where you are, so I want to throw myself fully into this week's ministry experience...but I'll be looking forward to seeing all of you when I get back...

...in the meantime, stay strong, and "let patience have her perfect work, that you may be mature and whole, lacking nothing..."